Dr. Chaim Weizmann, President of Israel, left here today for Washington to confer with President Truman on problems confronting the state of Israel. Truman will tender Dr. Weizmann an official luncheon at Blair House tomorrow.
Addressing some 2,300 guests at a $250-plate dinner at the Waldorf-Astoria last night tendered in his honor by the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science, the Israeli President–in an address outlining Israel’s foreign policy–replied to a Papal announcement last week concerning the status of Jerusalem.
Israel will agree to international control of Jerusalem’s Holy Places and will guarantee security for religious institutions, Dr. Weizmann declared, “Supervision over shrines will be granted by Israel, he added, to “those who hold them sacred.” Pope Pius, in an encyclical letter dated April 15, demanded international-organization of Jerusalem and its environs and assurances of unhampered access by Catholics to Holy Places there and in other parts of Israel.
EVATT EXPRESSES HOPE FOR ISRAEL’S ADMISSION TO U.N
Dr. Herbert Evatt, president of the U.N. General Assembly, who also addressed dinner guests, voiced the hope that “every step necessary will be taken to secure approval of Israel’s membership application by the General Assembly during the present session.” He said the future of Israel is inseparable from the future of the treat of the Middle East, where there are acute problems of underdevelopment and poverty.” Other speakers included Henry Morgenthau Jr., general chairman of the United Jewish Appeal, Edmund I. Kaufmann, president of the American Committee, Dewey D. Stone, chairman of the Board, and Abraham Feinberg, chairman of the N.Y. committee, who presided.
A message from President Truman to the dinner said: “On the occasion of the dinner in honor of President Weizmann of Israel, I send to the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science and to your distinguished guest of honor my heart-felt good wishes. I have long been interested in the Weizmann Institute, which, in undertaking research designed to bring greater blessings to mankind, is carrying out the highest ideals of modern science; and I very much regret that I am unable to be present at the dinner in honor of its founder.”
In his address, Dr. Weizmann expressed thanks to President Truman for the latter’s “deeply human statesmanship” in relation to Israel and said that Israel will be eternally grateful for the wide support it has received from both the people and government of the United States. He recalled, too, that the Soviet Union had been quick to recognize the new Israeli Government and said that his country will pursue a policy of friendship to all nations “whether or not they diverge amongst themselves in other aspects of their policy.”
U.N. Secretary-General Trygve Lie and acting Palestine mediator Dr. Ralph U. Bunche also attended the dinner and were greeted with tremendous ovations when they entered the ballroom. (The American Association for the United Nations an-announced that Dr. Buriche had been selected to receive the organization’s annual award for distinguished service to the world organization for his mediation efforts in the Palestine dispute.) A eulogy for Dr. Stephen S. Wise was delivered by Mr. Kaufmann.
(The possibility that discussions on Israel’s application for United Nations membership might begin this week was indicated at Lake Success today when it was reported that the Jewish state’s bid for affiliation with the world body would be taken up by the Ad Hoc Committee instead of the Political Committee, The Ad Hoc body was said to be free to consider the Israeli application on Wednesday.)
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